The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday named a 16-member squad for next month’s two-Test series against Bangladesh, part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle, while also announcing a new-look red-ball coaching staff led by Sarfaraz Ahmed.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board has announced that the two matches will be played in Dhaka and Sylhet. The opening Test will be held from May 8 to 12 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka, with the second Test scheduled from May 16 to 20 in Sylhet.
Shan Masood will continue to captain the Test side, with four uncapped players, Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, earning places in the squad.
Five members of the squad, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, are currently participating in an ongoing red-ball camp at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.
The selected players will assemble in Karachi on Monday, April 27, for a training camp that will run until May 1.
The squad is scheduled to depart for Bangladesh on May 2. Players involved in the ongoing Pakistan Super League XI will join the camp after their respective teams complete their campaigns, while those whose sides qualify for the final will travel directly to Bangladesh following the conclusion of the tournament.
The PCB also confirmed the appointment of Ahmed as head coach for the tour. The former Test captain led Pakistan to titles in the ICC U19 World Cup 2006 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, and recently guided Pakistan’s U19 side to the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup title as mentor/manager. He also served as mentor/manager of Pakistan Shaheens during their series against England Lions earlier this year.
Former Test cricketers Asad Shafiq and Umar Gul have been appointed as batting and bowling coaches, respectively, for the tour.
Asad featured in 147 international matches — 77 Tests, 60 ODIs and 10 T20Is — amassing 6,188 runs, including 12 centuries and 36 half-centuries. Umar, a right-arm fast bowler, represented Pakistan in 237 international matches — 47 Tests, 130 ODIs and 60 T20Is — claiming 427 wickets across formats.
Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi
Naveed Akram Cheema (manager), Sarfaraz Ahmed (head coach), Asad Shafiq (batting coach), Umar Gul (bowling coach), Abdul Saad (fielding coach) Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Usman Hashmi (analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media manager), Lt. Col. (r) Usman Anwari (security manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor) and Muhammad Ehsan (masseur)
